Images of Catalina Island adorn souvenirs, inspire artists and fill photo albums around the world. At Catalina Island Vacation Rentals we’ve been highlighting those images and showcasing the landmarks and environment they represent in our Featured Image program. Our current featured image, a beautiful photo of Avalon’s green Pleasure Pier, was submitted by Mark Fischer. Thanks for the great shot, Mark!
The Avalon Pleasure Pier is the city’s oldest pier, built in 1908, but it is not the only one that has been part of Avalon’s maritime history. For decades, the Steamer Pier was the primary transportation hub, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors who arrived via the steamers that were once the main form of transportation to Catalina Island. Those massive ships arrived each day and their passengers were greeted by enterprising youth, who funded their summers by diving for coins tossed by the arriving visitors. The last Catalina Steamer, the SS Catalina, made its last run to the island in 1975. After an ignominious end, half-sunk in the mud of Ensenada Harbor, the SS Catalina was scrapped in 2009. The Steamer Pier, which had jutted into Avalon Harbor from near the current location of Antonio’s Cabaret, was demolished long before, in 1969.